Drawing graphs with PHP

Hi all,

i have a question:

is there any librairy for drawing graphs with PHP? Not graphs like
histogram or alike, but like a set of shapes linked together in a certain
way (like a flow chart or call graph).

I have found a script to handle the graph in memory but i can already do
that, my problem is to draw it (it an optimal way, and without crossing
links if possible).

Thx
--
TheDD

On Sun, 9 Nov 2003 10:49:52 +0100, TheDD <pas.d@email.com> wrote:

>i have a question:
>
>is there any librairy for drawing graphs with PHP? Not graphs like
>histogram or alike, but like a set of shapes linked together in a certain
>way (like a flow chart or call graph).
>
>I have found a script to handle the graph in memory but i can already do
>that, my problem is to draw it (it an optimal way, and without crossing
>links if possible).

The most popular free directed graph drawing library is the 'dot' program from
the Graphviz library:

http://www.research.att.com/sw/tools/graphviz/

It does a decent enough job for small-ish graphs (<50 nodes), can output in
various formats, including HTML image maps so you can make the nodes clickable.

Basically you'll have to output a file in the simple format that dot
understands describing the graph, and use system() or backticks `` to call dot
to render that to a file.

Doesn't guarantee optimal layout or zero crossing edges; it uses heuristics to
get a generally reasonable layout.

There are commercial packages that do a better job but they're mostly
incredibly expensive. The Graph Layout Toolkit from Tom Sawyer Software looked
impressive, but the quote they called back with had quite a few zeroes ;-)

--
Andy Hassall (andy@andyh.co.uk) icq(5747695) (http://www.andyh.co.uk)
Space: disk usage analysis tool (http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space)

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 09:55:15 GMT, Ian.H wrote:
> On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 10:49:52 +0100, TheDD wrote:

>> [...]

> Not 100% sure if it covers your req's.. but have a google for 'JPGraph'.
> This might be just what you're looking for =)

> HTH.

> Regards,

No, it's for histogram graphs and similar :(

Thx anyway
--
TheDD

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 14:10:39 +0000, Andy Hassall wrote:
> On Sun, 9 Nov 2003 10:49:52 +0100, TheDD <pas.d@email.com> wrote:

>> [...]

> The most popular free directed graph drawing library is the 'dot' program from
> the Graphviz library:

> http://www.research.att.com/sw/tools/graphviz/

> It does a decent enough job for small-ish graphs (<50 nodes), can output in
> various formats, including HTML image maps so you can make the nodes clickable.

> Basically you'll have to output a file in the simple format that dot
> understands describing the graph, and use system() or backticks `` to call dot
> to render that to a file.

I thought about this, but i was hopping for something "better integrated".
I will look how this can be done (html map § png image, html, or just
getting the coordinates and drawing myself).

> Doesn't guarantee optimal layout or zero crossing edges; it uses heuristics to
> get a generally reasonable layout.

> There are commercial packages that do a better job but they're mostly
> incredibly expensive. The Graph Layout Toolkit from Tom Sawyer Software looked
> impressive, but the quote they called back with had quite a few zeroes ;-)

Yeah, i can imagine ;)

Thx
--
TheDD http://www.epita.fr/~mancel_d
Ing2 Groupe B2
EPITA Promotion 2005

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 10:49:38 +0100, TheDD <mancel_d@epita.fr> wrote:

>On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 14:10:39 +0000, Andy Hassall wrote:
>> On Sun, 9 Nov 2003 10:49:52 +0100, TheDD <pas.d@email.com> wrote:
>
>>> [...]
>
>> The most popular free directed graph drawing library is the 'dot' program from
>> the Graphviz library:
>
>> http://www.research.att.com/sw/tools/graphviz/
>
>> It does a decent enough job for small-ish graphs (<50 nodes), can output in
>> various formats, including HTML image maps so you can make the nodes clickable.
>
>> Basically you'll have to output a file in the simple format that dot
>> understands describing the graph, and use system() or backticks `` to call dot
>> to render that to a file.
>
>I thought about this, but i was hopping for something "better integrated".
>I will look how this can be done (html map § png image, html, or just
>getting the coordinates and drawing myself).

Haven't tried it personally, but a quick search came up with the following PHP
class for wrapping up Graphviz:

http://pear.php.net/package/Image_GraphViz

Probably worth a look.

--
Andy Hassall (andy@andyh.co.uk) icq(5747695) (http://www.andyh.co.uk)
Space: disk usage analysis tool (http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space)

Andy Hassall wrote:

>>>>[...]

> Haven't tried it personally, but a quick search came up with the following PHP
> class for wrapping up Graphviz:
>
> http://pear.php.net/package/Image_GraphViz
>
> Probably worth a look.

Yes, it will prevent me from writing some code, but not a hard part. It's still
not integrated since i need to save a dot file (through the lib), proccess
through graphviz, and then use the output :/

Thx anyway :) i will work on this again in one week.

NB: i must be a bad searcher ;)

--
TheDD